Coveted guard Irving commits to Duke

Kyrie Irving listened to his heart and his mind, and both told him to play basketball at Duke.

Irving, a 6-2 guard from St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, N.J., committed late yesterday afternoon. Kentucky and Texas A&M were in his final decision, and he also considered Georgia Tech and Seton Hall.

“It was the entire coaching staff and everybody,“ Irving said. “It’s the place for me. It’s been a long process.“

Bob Gibbons, a recruiting analyst at All Star Sports in Lenoir, said that Duke was the team to beat all along. He ranks Irving as one of the nation’s top-10 seniors and the nation’s No. 3 point guard in the class of 2010.

“He’s a scoring point guard,“ Gibbons said. “He’s more like William Avery was for Duke when he played there, and like Nolan Smith (a current Duke guard).“

Duke is hoping that Irving’s commitment will help sway Harrison Barnes, a 6-6 forward from Ames, Iowa. Rated one of the nation’s top five seniors, Barnes is scheduled to visit Duke this weekend.

Barnes visited Kansas for its Midnight Madness practice last week. He visited North Carolina the weekend of Sept. 4 to attend its pro alumni game.

Irving can sign the binding national letter-of-intent Nov. 11, at the start of the NCAA’s early-signing period. The only point guards Gibbons ranks higher than Irving are Brandon Knight, a top target for Kentucky, and Kendall Marshall, who has committed to North Carolina.

Gibbons said that athleticism sets Irving apart from other point guards.

“He’s very quick,“ Gibbons said. “He can score in a variety of ways. He can shoot 3’s, and he can get to the hoop. He’s a very productive point guard, but he can also penetrate and dish the ball off and find open teammates.“

Sandy Pyonin, Irving’s AAU coach with the New Jersey Roadrunners, said that Irving was a talented player before joining the team, but that he has worked hard to become better.

Pyonin said that Irving wants to play in the NBA and that he listens to everything his coaches tell him.

“The thing I like is that he’s seeing the floor better, and he’s getting better,“ Pyonin said. “He has this uncanny touch with either hand. It’s a thing of beauty, and it’s not easy to develop.

“He definitely needs to improve on the defensive end and be more consistent there. He needs to improve on his leadership skills on the court. He can play defense and show leadership, but those are the two areas he needs to improve the most and get stronger.“

Irving is Duke’s third commitment for the 2010 recruiting class. He joins Joshua Hairston, a 6-8 forward from Spotsylvania, Va., and Tyler Thornton, a 6-2 point guard from Washington, D.C.

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